If money were no object — isn’t that a wonderful thought? — 48% of consumers say they would want to hire an interior designer to help design their entire home.
Another 24% would like help with their living room (again, if money were no object), 15% would hire a designer to do their kitchen, 12% would seek assistance with their primary bedroom, 9% would consult a designer for their family room and 7% would like help with their dining room.
That speaks to an enormous desire among Americans for design guidance, as well as their need to seek help with a project they don’t have the time or the skills to do on their own.
Some consumers have high expectations for what an interior designer could do for them. As one consumer says: “If money were no object, I’d hire a designer to focus on maximizing space, a whole home renovation, smart home integration and sustainable design, (and) aesthetic cohesion.” Whew! It’s a big list.
That quote and those statistics come from the latest round of extensive Consumer Insights Now research, which explores consumers’ plans to purchase home furnishings in the second half of 2024, as well as what they value most in several product categories, how the economy is impacting their home furnishings purchases and more. Results of the research, which is sponsored by Bread Pay and Pay Tomorrow, will be released weekly through Oct. 28. You can read all the latest CIN research results here.
As much as Americans might like to hire a designer, only 6% of shoppers actually plan to work with one in the second half of 2024, according to the research. Another 13% say they might hire a designer. Those numbers have been consistent across past CIN surveys.
We can look at the gap between consumers who would theoretically work with an interior designer and those who actually plan to hire a designer as a glass half full or a glass half empty. The pessimistic view is that consumers don’t have the money (or don’t think they have the money) for design services, and only a tiny fraction of the population will ever hire a designer.
The optimistic view is that there is an enormous, untapped market for design services, whether from firms that specialize in new construction and whole home renovations to in-store designers and online tools.
The latest research offers some ideas about who might be most receptive to marketing efforts from designers wanting to expand their businesses. According to CIN, consumers who plan to use an interior designer tend to:
* Be younger (under age 44)
* Have incomes of $100,000 or more
* Have children living at home
* And, not unexpectedly, live in a house or condominium.
The CIN research has more insights into consumers’ thoughts on home design and interior design services. Look for that the week of Oct. 28. And don’t miss the other upcoming weekly research findings, which will focus on living room buying trends (week of Sept. 30), primary bedroom buying trends (week of Oct. 7), mattress buying trends (week of Oct. 14) and how the economy is shaping consumers’ furniture buying plans (week of Oct. 21).
For more: Consumer Insights Now research is conducted twice a year for Design News Now and its sister publications, Home News Now, Casual News Now and Bedding News Now. Industry veteran Dana French leads the CIN research project, which was sponsored this fall by Bread Pay and Pay Tomorrow.Released in six parts, the extensive research series focuses on consumers’ furniture and accessory buying plans, including how consumers approach in-store and online shopping, what they value most in several product categories, how they plan to pay for purchases and more. You can read all the latest CIN research here.
